An Intelligent Transportation System Plan for Highway 2 Between Edmonton and Calgary

In response to continuous demand for safe and efficient flow of goods and people, Alberta Transportation has developed a high level vision (ITS Strategic Plan) for implementing Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Highway 2 between Edmonton and Calgary has been identified in the Strategic Plan as a priority corridor to serve as a testbed for ITS initiatives. As a result, Alberta Transportation has initiated a project to study the needs and develop plans for advanced transportation technologies along the Highway 2 corridor between Edmonton and Calgary. These technologies are potential tools to help monitor and manage traffic flow, detect and clear incidents and provide travellers with real-time information on traffic congestion and road conditions. The objectives of Alberta Transportation in conducting this project are to enhance safety and operations in the corridor, ensure opportunities exist to integrate identified solutions with adjacent municipal ITS plans and deploy ITS solutions in a cost-effective wellplanned manner. The project is based on a "needs driven" approach addressing specific safety and operational priorities, which in turn, will drive the recommendations of appropriate technologies for the corridor. To achieve this, a consultation process has been included to obtain input from “targeted” stakeholders representing a wide range of perspectives. This paper summarizes the needs that have been identified within the Highway 2 corridor and how these are addressed in a comprehensive and coordinated plan for ITS deployment. It also includes highlights of the methodology used to establish the recommendations, the proposed staged implementation program and the anticipated benefits including details of the benefit/cost analysis This project is unique due to the long linear nature of the study area (300 kilometres) and the variety of adjacent land uses and traffic conditions. Some of the challenges and more unique aspects of the project that will be described in the paper include: • Dynamic message signs and how they can be best applied in a long linear corridor; • Collecting and disseminating traveller information in a rural environment; • Institutional issues and how they have been identified and addressed; and • Deployment of ITS technologies to both rural and urban applications in an integrated fashion and in a manner that is both consistent and useful.